Central regional grassroots winners 2012

Monday 17 September 2012

Grassroots hero Donald Beaton aged 67, from Killearn, has been named winner of the Scottish FA’s Central region’s Best Volunteer in Adult football Award, in the 2012 Scottish FA Grassroots Awards, presented by McDonald’s and the Sunday Mail.

Ian Ash from Alava has been named winner of the region’s Best Volunteer in Schools Football.

Robert McCallum, aged 40 from Airdrie, has picked up the Best Volunteer in Youth Football award.

Winner of the Best Volunteer in Disability Football award is Sandy White (30) from Stirling.

Yvonne Anderson has been named winner of the Best Volunteer in Girls & Womens’ Football Award.

For the past 50 years, Donald has been the cornerstone of local grassroots football in Killeran.

He has been involved as a player, coach, manager, treasurer and chairman of Killearn FC as well as being an integral part of The Forth & Endrick League Committee and Scottish Welfare Board.

He is also is a representative on the Scottish FA Non-Professional Game Board.

He is actively involved with the league and oversees everything from under 16 coaching to referees appointments.

Ian has made an outstanding contribution to schools’ football.

Starting his teaching career at Abronhill High School, he was involved with school teams in the old Central Region Schools’ FA from 1987 and served for number of years on the Executive Committee.

As a firm believer that involvement in activities like football can have a positive influence on behaviour and academic attainment of school pupils, he has gone out of his way to offer his time to provide this by organising bi-annual football trips abroad.

Robert has been instrumental in establishing the Gartcairn Football Club starting with only one 7-a-side team with 10 players; the club has now grown to a Scottish FA Community Quality Mark Club with over 350 players.

Robert has been involved as club chairman, coach, fundraiser, first aider, protection officer and just about every other possible voluntary position within the club.

He has recently helped secure a long term lease of a pitch and his remarkable hard work has seen him source funding to upgrade the pitch to AstroTurf.

In 2008, with the support of Scottish Disability Sport, Sandy set up the Stirling City All Stars to encourage local youngsters to get involved with the game.

He originally began with a core of six footballers which quickly grew to 15 in the first year thanks to regular training sessions and matches.

Throughout the first year Sandy set the scene for the future activities of the club by ensuring the footballers competed in local, regional and national competitions as well as taking two teams to their first Special Olympics competition in Leicester.

The club has since gone from strength to strength and now boasts 42 players, which is testament and this is due to Sandy's incredible contribution and dedication.

For the last six years, Yvonne has worked with Falkirk Ladies Under-13 and Under-11s girls as the Head Coach whilst also taking a lead role in sourcing funding through grant forms and organising sponsored events.

She is an incredibly committed and enthusiastic individual who has devoted an extraordinary amount of time to the club.

Her first post at the club was as the secretary for the Under-17s team but became a coach for the younger girls when they needed one to stop that age group from folding.

She is currently leading the Under 12s section, and has played a mentor role with new and young coaches that are brought in from the local area to work with her.

She believes in everyone getting a game and is committed to developing every player.

Without Yvonne's hard work and enthusiasm Falkirk Ladies FC would not be where it is today and have a steady stream of girls through their system and pathway.

As winners, all will now be included in the national shortlist, with the National Award winners being announced at a special ceremony at Hampden Park on Thursday September 27th.

Alan Taylor, football development manager for the Scottish FA’s Central region, said: “Our winners are legend of the game in our eyes and it is right that we take the time, not just to recognise their dedication to the game, but also to say thank you for the enthusiasm and time that they give up.

“Without the 1000s of volunteers, like our winners, dedicating their time and effort passing on their skills to others, grassroots football in local communities simply wouldn’t happen.

“I want to wish them the best of luck in the national awards later this year, and we look forward to hearing the results.”